BasicGLASS FUSINGAll the Skills and Tools You Need to Get StartedAll the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

1. Glass for Fusing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Fundamentals of Glass Cutting . . . . . . . 7

2. Using a Kiln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Kilns and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Firing a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Firing Processes and Schedules . . . . . . 32

Preparing Accent Components . . . . . . . 35

3. Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Orchid Garden Stake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Snowman Tile or Candleholder . . . . . . 43

Hexagonal Lunch Plates . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Stringer Votive Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Holiday Stringer Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Christmas Tree Wind Chime . . . . . . . . 60

Embossed Easter Ornaments . . . . . . . . 67

Embossed Star Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Pocket Vase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Dichroic Pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Stamped Enamel Leaf Plate . . . . . . . . . 87

Heirloom Photo Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Photo Fused Wedding Bowl . . . . . . . . . 96

Framed Tile Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Iris Pendant Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Floral Drop Vase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Vintage Wine Cellar Sign . . . . . . . . . . 118

Slumping Bottles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

The Lemonade Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

iii

Glass for F

using

1

Glass for Fusing

Nearly any glass can be fired in the kiln by itself. However, when twoor more pieces of glass are fired together, we must respect their

rates of expansion when heated, and contraction when cooled. Glassmanufacturers test their glass and assign the appropriate number for thatexpansion and contraction rate. This number is called the Coefficient ofExpansion, or COE.

Glass and accent pieces with the same COE number are consideredcompatible. When fusing a project, you will want to use only compatibleglass and components. A fusing project made with glass or componentsthat are not compatible may contain stress. During the firing process, orany time thereafter, a project containing stress may develop cracks andeventually break.

1

Gla

ss f

or F

usin

g COMPATIBILITY

Manufacturers offer fusing glassin a variety of COE numbers;

104, 96, 90, and 84 are the mostcommon COE glasses available forfusing. In general, the lower theCOE number, the more time andtemperature it will take for the glassto reach the desired state. For exam-ple, a glass with a COE of 84 willtake more time and a higher temper-ature to fully fuse than a glass witha COE of 96.

The projects in this book are pri-marily made from glass with a COEof 96. This glass is easy to cut, avail-able in a wide range of colors andcolor blends, and fires beautifully inthe kiln. A number of glass compa-nies have made 96 COE glass andother fusing components readilyavailable.

Checking glass for compatibility can easily be donewith two sheets of polarizing laminated film. Full

fuse (1480°F) small squares of the glass you wish totest onto a double layer of clear 96 COE glass.

Place one sheet of the polarizing film on a lightsource. Lay the test strip across the film and coverwith a second sheet of polarizing film. Rotate the topfilm until the least amount of light is transmittedthrough the film.

Notice the halos around the glass squares in the toptest strip. This indicates that the glass squares werenot compatible with the clear 96 COE glass base. Inthe lower test strip, there are no visible halos aroundthe glass squares. These squares are all 96 COE glass,fully compatible with the clear glass base.

2

Note: If you have other stained glass in your workshop,you will want to set aside a separate area for your fusing glass,leftover scraps, and other fusing supplies. You can always usefusing glass in a regular stained glass project, but you do notwant to use regular stained glass in your fusing projects. If youalso choose to try fusing glass with other COE numbers, youwill need to keep that glass separated from the 96 COE glass.

Just for Fun

Glass for F

using

3

Types of Glass

Clear glass is used in many fusingprojects. Thin clear glass is oftenused in jewelry projects to keeppieces lightweight. Regular 1⁄8-inchclear glass is useful as a base undera project or a cap over a project.Clear 1⁄4-inch glass is perfect for abase under projects such as largebowls or platters.

Transparent colored glass, also called cathedral glass,will brighten any project. You will find a wide variety ofshades available, from pastels to vivid hues.

Neutral shades of glass are good background colors andadd balance to your work.

Clear and black glasses also come ininteresting textures. You will want tolower your firing temperature whenusing these kinds of glass to retainas much of the texture as possible.

Glass for F

using

Break out this small piece ofglass. Your grozing pliers are the besttool for this break.

From the opposite side of theinner curve, draw another smallerarch.

Score along the smaller arch.

Break out the small piece of glass.

Now score along the top of theoriginal inner curve.

Break the final piece of glass fromthe arch.

With the more difficult part of thedesign cut, you can easily score andbreak the straight sides of your de-sign.

Your finished shape should looklike this.

The final practice shape to cutwill be a circle. Draw or trace a cir-cle on your glass square.

19

Gla

ss f

or F

usin

g Use the glass marker to draw adotted line that starts at the edge ofthe glass closest to you, goes arounda portion of the circle, and continuesto the edge of the glass.

Score the glass, following yourdrawn line.

Break off this section of glass.

Draw another line that catches thenext arc of the circle, and continuesto the side of the glass. Score alongthis line.

Break off the glass piece.

Continue this technique aroundthe remaining portion of the circle. Itshould take five or six scores andbreaks to cut out the entire circle.

Your finished circle will look simi-lar to this one. Notice that you havesome rough edges where each breakwas. We will address those roughspots in the next section when wediscuss grinding the glass. You canalso practice the technique whereyou grasp the nub of glass with yourgrozing pliers and bend it off.

Let’s look at your practice pieces.Are you getting more comfortablewith cutting and breaking the glass?

20

Projects

75

POCKET VASE

This pocket vase is a sweet wayto hang a few flowers on your

wall. We’ve made a small version,but the concept can be used on anyscale. If you choose to make a largerpocket vase, you will want to useseveral layers of the fiber paper tocreate a larger space for flowerstems.

The pattern can be found onpage 145.

• Using Glass Nuggets• Using Fiber Paper• Drilling Holes in Glass

Pro

ject

s

1. Cut the clear fusing glass accord-ing to the pattern. Wash, rinse, anddry the glass pieces.

2. The shorter piece of glass will bethe top of your pocket vase. Place afew leaves in various shades of greenon this piece of glass.

3. Create flowers using small fusednuggets made from scrap glass. Usedifferent colored nuggets for theflower centers. See Chapter 2,Preparing Accent Components, forinstructions for making your ownnuggets and bent stringers.

4. Add a couple of gently bentstringers for flower stems.

5. Fire the pocket vase top glass onyour prepared kiln shelf coveredwith a sheet of thin kiln paper. Thisproject is sharing the kiln space withanother project that will be fired tothe same temperature.

76

Clear fusible glass

Leaves cut from a variety of green glass shades

Tiny nuggets

Bent green stringers

Pattern

Glass-cutting tools

1⁄8-inch fiber paper

Prepared kiln shelf

Thin kiln paper

MATERIALS

Projects

Use firing schedule A from page 34or the firing guidelines below.

6. When the kiln has cooled to100°F or less, you can remove yourglass and wash away any kiln paperresidue.

The components are now ready toassemble into the pocket vase.

7. Place the pocket vase base on aprepared kiln shelf covered with asheet of thin kiln paper. Cut twopieces of thin kiln paper and a 1⁄8-inch piece of fiber paper as indicatedon the pattern sheet. Position one ofthe pieces of kiln paper, smooth sidedown, on the base glass.

8. Lay the fiber paper directly onthe kiln paper and place the secondkiln paper piece over that, with thesmooth side up.

9. Center the fired top piece of glassover the top of the whole thing, andyou are ready for your second firing.

10. Use firing schedule A frompage 34 or the firing guidelinesbelow. This is the same tack fuseprogram that was used to fuse thedesign pieces to the top glass.

11. After firing, remove the pocketvase from the kiln when it hascooled to 100°F or less. Carefully re-move the fiber paper and kiln paperfrom the pocket they have formed.Remember to handle these productswith care, and wear your dust mask.

Firing Guidelines

Speed: MediumProcess: Tack FuseTop Temp: 1375°FHold Time: 12 Minutes

Firing Guidelines

Speed: MediumProcess: Tack fuseTop Temp: 1375°FHold Time: 12 Minutes

77

Pro

ject

s

The best way to display yourpocket vase is to add a decorativewire loop for hanging it. To attachthis wire, you will need to drill twosmall holes in the base glass layer.Drilling holes in glass requires a spe-cial technique so that the heat gener-ated by the drill bit does not crackthe glass.

1. Use the glass marker to make atiny dot in each top corner of thebase glass of the pocket vase.

2. A smudge of petroleum jelly willkeep the marker from washing awayin the water.

3. Place the glass scrap in the bowl,then the thin packing foam, andplace your pocket vase on top.

4. Add water until it barely coversthe marker dots.

5. Turn the drill to its highest speedand place it against one of themarker dots. Allow the drill bit togrind easily through the glass ratherthan applying forceful pressure. Drillanother hole at the other marker dot.

78

Bowl

Glass scrap

Thin packing foam

Water

Glass marker

Petroleum jelly

High-speed drill with 1 mmdiamond bit

Twisted colored wire

FINISHING MATERIALS

Projects

6. After both holes have beendrilled, wipe away the petroleumjelly residue with a paper towel.

7. Thread one end of the twistedwire up through one of the drilledholes and wrap it around itself tohold it in place.

8. Thread the opposite end of thetwisted wire up through the remain-ing hole. Trim the wire to an appro-priate length and twist the end to themain wire to form a loop.

Your pocket vase is ready to hangand fill with flowers!

79

Pro

ject

s

80

DICHROIC GLASS PIECES

Working with dichroic glass is alot of fun. The extra shimmer

found in this glass makes it perfectfor small projects like jewelry, winebottle stoppers, and drawer pulls.These projects will use the same fir-ing schedule, allowing you to maxi-mize the use of your kiln space.Make as many projects as will fitcomfortably on the kiln shelf andfire them together.

The patterns for the projectsmade here can be found on page146.

• Using Dichroic Glass• Using Dichro Slide Paper• Attching Glass to Metal

Findings

SIMPLE PENDANT1. The first piece is a pendant fea-turing Dichro Slide paper. This mate-rial is made like a decal, with adichroic coating and a protectivepaper backing. Use a decorativepaper punch to cut a design from the Dichro Slide paper.

2. Pour a small amount of distilledwater into the shallow plate.

3. Soak the cut design in the waterfor a minute or so, just until thepaper backing begins to slip freefrom the decal.

Note: Wash, rinse, and dry all glassbefore you assemble the projects. P

rojects

81

Thin clear fusible glass

Thin black fusible glass

Variety of dichroic glass pieces

Dichro Slide paper

Decorative paper punches

Earring bails

Pendant bails

Wine bottle stopper

Drawer pull

Black glass marker

Silver glass marker

Shallow plate

Distilled water

Paper towels

Glass-cutting tools

Artist’s brayer

E6000 adhesive

Thin kiln paper

Prepared kiln shelf

MATERIALS

Pro

ject

s

4. Position the cut decal onto a 1 by11⁄2-inch thin black glass rectangle.

5. Gently slide the protective paperfrom beneath the decal layer.

6. Blot away the excess water witha paper towel.

7. Burnish the dichroic decal to theblack glass with a clean brayer.

8. Allow the piece to air-dry, thencap with a rectangle of thin clearglass 11⁄16 by 19⁄16 inches.

EARRINGS1. Patterned dichroic glass can beused to make a small pair of ear-rings. Cut 1⁄2-inch strips from thepatterned glass.

2. Score each strip into 1⁄2-inch sec-tions and separate the pieces.

3. Cover each design square with a9⁄16-inch cap of thin clear glass.

Some smaller earring pieces willalso be included in this firing. Theseare 1⁄4-inch squares of dichroic glasswhich have been capped with 5⁄16-inch squares of thin clear glass.

Pro Tip: Covering dichroic glasswith a clear cap will magnify thedichroic shimmer. Just a little bit ofdichroic glass can wow you with its effect!

82

STACKPOLEBOOKS

www.stackpolebooks.com

$22.95 U.S.Higher in CanadaPrinted in China

ISBN 978-0-8117-0988-0

9 78081 1 709880

5 2 2 9 5>

Contributors

Lynn Haunstein teaches glass fusing at RainbowVision Stained Glass. She lives in Harrisburg,Pennsylvania.

Alan Wycheck is an award-winning photographerfrom York, Pennsylvania.

CRAFTS / Stained Glass

• An illustrated guide to a fun, growing trend in glass crafts

• Choosing glass, cutting glass, working with a kiln, making your own molds

• Includes instructions and full-size patterns for 18 projects

Straightforward, expert instruction on glass fusing fundamentalsStraightforward, expert instruction on glass fusing fundamentals